Microsoft submits antitrust proposal to EU

updateMicrosoft has filed its latest attempt to comply with Europe's antitrust ruling, getting its proposal in mere hours before the deadline set by authorities.

A European Commission representative told ZDNet UK on Wednesday that Microsoft met Tuesday's deadline for submissions but that European authorities need to examine Microsoft's proposal to see whether the company has complied fully with the conditions laid out in the original antitrust ruling.

Special reportRead our completecoverage of the EU'sdecision to fine Redmond.

"We were in contact with Microsoft until late in the evening yesterday and will now carefully analyze what's on the table to assess whether or not they have complied with the March 2004 decision," the representative said.

If the Commission finds that Microsoft has failed to comply, the software giant could face fines of up to $5 million daily.

The Commission representative was unwilling to provide details of Microsoft's final proposal and declined to say how long it would take to make a final decision. "It will take as long as it takes," she said.

Microsoft was also unwilling to comment on its final proposal but confirmed that it had completed its submission.

"We have submitted proposals to the Commission and now await their response," said a Microsoft representative.

The Commission rejected Microsoft's proposed server interoperability license in March of this year.

Microsoft said in April that it had addressed the majority of the Commission's concerns in this area, but the Commission said a few weeks ago that there were still issues to be resolved regarding both the server interoperability remedy and the version of Windows without Media Player.